Lime in dog kennel

[Inspector507]

A co-worker of mine has an area 16x16 fenced off for his hunting dogs. He makes it a point to clean up after them on a regular basis, but a neighbor has complained about the odor. Neighbors are very close, he lives in town in a sub-division.
He was wondering if it would be harmful to the dogs to have some lime spread around to maybe take some odor away?
Anybody have an ideas?

[Fred]

I honestly don't know about just leaving the lime lay on top of the ground as far as a dog walking on it and licking his feet, but I know of one kennel that spreads lime down in their yard area and then soaks it into the ground with a bleach water mixture. 4 oz/gal would work, but I don't remember what they mix at. It kills the ground odor and helps keep viruses at bay. I plan on doing this to the area my dogs use for their "stuff". I notice a smell on certain humid days when the ground is damp.

edit: I should add... too much bleach can give a dog's feet chemical burns when wet.

[Al_Wa]

May be different answers based on the type of "Lime " you use.

I use Dolomite Lime in the dog kennel and have not noticed any ill effects. I do water it in. I then cover with alfalfa.

Lime is a general term used for various forms of a basic chemical produced from calcium carbonate rocks such as limestone (CaCO3) and dolomite (CaCO3*MgCO3) More specifically, quicklime is calcium oxide (CaO) or calcium-magnesium oxide (Ca)*MgO). Hydrated lime (also called slaked lime) is produced by mixing the oxide forms with water. Hydraulic lime is an impure form of lime that will harden under water.

[Fred]

That's interesting Al. I didn't know there was different kinds of lime. I'll have to see which type I have cause that's the stuff I was going to use.
I think the important thing is to soak it into the ground and possibly even let it dry before putting the dogs back in or cover it as you do.
Wonder which kind was/is used in outhouses?

Hopefully inspector is getting this info back to his buddy to shut his neighbors up.

[Inspector507]

Yes Fred,
I'm getting good info, here and at TBN. Of course some of it conflicts, but...... /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

Now he's wondering if the smell actually came from 2 other yards where they just used some fertilizer for lawns and flower beds. One of the products in high use around here is Com-Til. It's human umm..sludge, treated and all that. But it still smells like crap /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif

[Fred]

TBN? I don't go through all the forums there, so I must have missed it. My guess is "Rural"? I just noticed a short while ago that we could even post there. I had thought prior to this that all traffic was directed here. I'll have to go look for the conflicting advice. Maybe it has something to do with the varieties of lime like Al mentioned and maybe I'll learn something or at least have reason to check into this further.

I've had two larger breed dogs doing their "stuff" in a 16x30 area for about 3 years and added a third for over a year now and I just started noticing a slight odor. Like I mentioned, the conditions have to be just right with the ground moisture. It doesn't smell like like urine or feces, but it's there. Might have something to do with their potty area being where my septic tank is, also /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif
I'll bet your friend's problem is the fertilizer like you suggest and I'll bet the complaining neighbors aren't dog people and are looking for reasons to cause problems. This is based on the assumption that he picks up very regularly. I scoop their area every time they go unless it's late at night and then I get it the next morning. Of course though, I'm a professional poop scooper /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

[Pat]

There used to be a product called "ODOR MUTE" that would be very good in this application. It is an all natural product with enzymes. I bought it as a powder and mixed it with water, strained out the debris, and sprayed it in my kennel. It is not a cover up, it destroys/modifies the odor causing materials. It has nearly no smell of its own. It is safe to use on anything that water doesn't hurt. It is safe to get it on your hands/skin but I didn't try using it as eye wash or gargle. The comments on the box say it is good for use at a hatchery (you don't know stink till you smell a hatchery... all those bad eggs and dead chicks!!!)

I had a 8x30 ft concrete run for two afghan hounds which got a reasonable amount of time loose in the yard. A pump sprayer with Odor Mute ALMOST TOTALLY STOPPED residual odors on the concrete as well as where I would spot spray in the yard as required

Don't know if this product is still on the market but there may be an equivalent. It would not harm the dog's feet nor poison them.

This just in... I did a Google on odormute (one word) and apparently it is still around.

/forums/images/icons/smile.gif Pat /forums/images/icons/smile.gif